DAVAO CITY (PIA) - No major infrastructure damage, loss of life or injury was reported when an intensity 4 earthquake hit Davao City on the early evening of Feb. 1

According to the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office head Alfredo Baloran risk assessment team and structural engineers deployed by the City Engineer’s Office to check on City Hall and Sangguniang Panglungsod (City Council) found no major damage to the buildings.

“Wala ma’y major mga damages or na notice na dili siya pwede gamiton but the said building (s) are suitable for occupancy (There is no major damages or they did not notice something which would prevent the use of the buildings),” Baloran said.

He said the team will be going to check on other structures as they received reports from employees working on the buildings.

“Kining sa Jacinto na health center sa CHO (City Health Office) naay na notice didto naay hairline cracks ug kining sa CSWDO (City Social Welfare and Development Office) main building… naay nanotice na hairline cracks (At the health center in Jacinto of the CHO they noticed hairline cracks and at the CSWDO main building hairline cracks were noticed),” Baloran said.

Hairline cracks were also reported at a four storey building in the Mintal Elementary School.  While waiting for the assessment team, the school principal has suspended the use of the said building.

During the quake ten students, seven from Daniel R. Aguinaldo Elementary School and three patients from Holy Cross of Calinan were reported to have fainted.

Baloran said that these students immediately regained consciousness and were fetched by their parents on that same evening.

The  6.0 magnitude quake which struck 6:44 p.m. had its epicenter coordinates 07.65°N, 126.16°E - 009 km S 76° E of Compostela (Davao De Oro), based on the earthquake information released by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

The quake forced people out of their homes and buildings and head out to open spaces and designated evacuation zones.

“So far we are thankful to God since se we do not have major damage, and we also do not have loss of life or injury due to the shaking,” The CDRRMO head said. (PIA/RG Alama)